Tales From a Misfit
Updates every Sunday.
Found on wallhere. made by "wallup"
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Found on wallhere. made by "wallup"
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“Session!” His mother shouted to a 9 year Zen reading a book. “Won’t you come join us?” it was not the first time she asked, and occasionally he did so. Usually leaving before them. He didn’t recognize his family in the virtual world. His friend were different, and often wanted to be something different. Zen having no such desires was ultimately forced into being a loner, and by extension forced to watch as the people around him abandoned the place he called home. Until the day that stranger lead him out of the alleyway, and into the Church of Humanity. Returning week after week, eventually of his own accord.
“Everything. Everything last thing I was ever told would happen. Either already has, or seems damn near close.” Zen stated holding his gun pointed at Wish somewhat shaking. “And plugging you in is like calling the devil down, so I can’t let you go there.” “Put the gun down, Zen.” Davy stated from behind him. “You’re basic training let your emotions run this wild.” “Shut! Up!” Zen swung around and rammed himself right into the shovel Davy held out. Wish silently got into Davy’s car, while Davy broke Zen’s car to best ability he could with a shovel. “When you’re ready to ask, I’ll be listening.” Davy stated starting the car. “I only stayed behind, because Doctor Ruribind wanted someone he trusted to be aware of...well you.” There was a long silence as Davy drove. “What about me?” Wish finally asked after a few hours past. “What about me is going to change so much?” Davy hand her a strange device. “I had a feeling that be the first question.” Davy stated as Wish turned the device on. It seemed like a simple test connector. Like everything else that had ever test Wish’s ability to connect to the Augment it was slow at first. Then it connected, and several parts started to move neon blue lines spread further and further up Wish eventually blinking its green lights before whirl to life like neither of them had ever seen. Wish put it down. “Apparently findings like that having been cropping up more and more. Weird little quirks in people’s connections that shouldn’t work on paper, but do that in practice.” Davy pointed at the still over charged device. “Sounds familiar?” “Among you, Among all humans there are those with a gift. A gift that supasses even the Augment potential. And with that gift my children, we will change everything about us.” Wish recited the line she once heard every day of her life. “But it’s never done anything, and overcharge like that should have affected at least someone else.” “Unless it’s too busy affecting the people with this gift. A gift that looks exactly like how two Augments connecting would look.” Davy stated. “Seems Kurzweil wasn’t quite right about his ‘Singularity people’.” “That’s….” Wish was silent for a long while, and device seems to be responding in kind. Davy wasn’t normally one to pry, but the device was right next to him working away. And when you study augmented mechanics for as long as Davy has, it is hard not to picture the images it’s making. The thoughts of a tyrant reshaping the world, the abandoned city of people who relied on the now outlaw virtual currency. The Singularity Ministry ever growing desire to simply remove those who were not ‘embracing the future.’” After a while the image wasn’t so much memories as it was looking for someone, anyone, who Wish thought she would she trust with handling the ability to make a 2nd Augment. Eventually Davy had to give her a nudge. “I think it’ll be a mess.” Davy stated. “But I also want to remember a time where…” Davy paused, and looked at the tower. “You know, I don’t even remember anymore.” “I do” Wish stated getting out of the car. Davy followed closely behind. Elysium was way too quiet. Several sectors across various parts of the world were already reacting to Wish’s presence. Slowly both way the elevator. “Quite the connection range wouldn’t you agree?” The robbed stranger greet them as they rounded the corner. A hood hiding his face. Dark purple with several lines of gold running all along the robe. The classic attire of a high standing member the Singularity Ministry. He slapped a small E.M.P and the sounds of the elevator crashing down was heard of a few floor below. “Look around you.” Wish stated gesturing around the building. The wall glowing with power both inside and out. The normally silent machine generating a slight amount of noise while giving their best effort to use their new resource to the fullest. “Look at what this could do? How can you possibly think this is better?” “The very natural of what you now do.” The robed figure stated. “Your job quite literally exist, because humans can not be trusted with even one augment! All of us. Except” He pointed at Wish. “Except the gifted ones. Perhaps the books were mistranslated. Perhaps the Binarial were misinterpreted. Our flawed minds to limited to understand, but one thing has remained. One thing-” The robed figure brace himself as Davy charged into him. Both swirled in motion in fury on precise strikes. The fighting only got harder as Davy push his way up the stairs. But while he quickly outnumbered, he still was far from outmatched. “Enough!” One voice shouted and quickly the room complied. A large figure stepped out. Unhooded and with several more gold rings on his sleeves than the others. “Young Davy.” He began. “Even in exile you remain the strongest fighter we have ever seen.” “Thank you, Father.” Davy stated proudly. “Even now, that means a great deal to me. Truthfully, I wasn’t expecting this to work. Perhaps we all just obsolete afterall” both softly chuckled before roaring in laughter together. “Perhaps, indeed.” The peist stated. “But I’m sure such revelations hardly matter now.” “It’s exactly as your follower pointed out, Trinar.” Wish stated walking up into the center room Davy had forced their way into. The hover wheeling keeping the core up spun to life for a brief moment before the bright blue core burst to life, and sent out a shockwave. Several were knocked back, but the Father Trinar merely turning to watch. “You truly this world won’t destroy itself all over again? Virtual reality can not protect us anymore, Wish.” “Maybe not.” Wish stated. “But keeping power from people certainly hasn’t done any favor. We’re beginning our ascension now, Father. Maybe it didn’t happen like it did it your records, but it was pretty miraculous.” “Let us hope then.” Father Trinar stated. “That is stays that way.”
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“We barely had this technology for a century” Zen stated after here Ruribind’s explanation. “We can’t have adapted this quickly.”
“We had what we’ve needed for far more than a couple centuries.” Ruribind stated. “The moment technology came around it’s grown far faster than we ever could, and the only odd thing is it never really slowed.” Ruribind motioned for Davy and Zen to follow and slid over to the other side of the lab they were currently borrowing. After typing in some things on the keyboard and a graph showed up. “You see?” He stated. “We ignores these problems, tried to stifle them, for a large part of the 21st century. We attempted various projects since until we finally gave up and merged ourselves to one extent or another. We all predict we’d have to go back a couple decades, but the cost of not doing so was risky at best.” “Only I remember us doing all of that.” Davy stated. “And I don’t remember losing decades of technology.” Various results popped up before them, and they all read through the results. Ruribind canceled several other tests. “Under better circumstances I would like to readministered those tests.” Ruribind stated as Wish got up still a little downsy. “But at this moment I consider it vital to the fate of the world that we get Wish to Elysium, and keep that bark away for her until then if you would be so kind.” “With have to get me to the largest most powerful global communications tower ever built?” Wish stated. “We can’t just find someone already a quarter of the way across the planet?” “In all my years of study I’ve never seen something like your biology. I can only assure that it is far too dangerous for you to be in one spot, and far too time consuming to find another.” Ruribind stated. Zen sighed. “I think we best just go, Wish. Apparently you’ll know what to do when we get there.” “I’m afraid I fear to summarize anything more.” Ruribind explained. “I believe it randomizes too many variables, and I require what little stability we have.” While she wasn’t happy with it, Wish agreed to go. Davy stayed behind for a moment as Zen and Wish departed. It was several minutes before either spoke. “Is it safe yet?” Davy questioned. “And how did you know they were coming?” “All the research I conducted on that girl.” Ruribind paused. “It’s only natural I suppose that they rig the game against me.” ------------ A long time ago ------------ A 12 year old child was slumped in the alley across from his parent’s house in the rain. A common practice at this point. One that a particular stranger had noticed too many times, and had stepped into the alley as a result. “Do you intend to hide for the rest of your life?” “Just for a while.” Zen stated. “My parents usually fall asleep after a while. They always think I should join them…” “Your parents.” The stranger kneeled down. “Have forfeit their humanity to false desires. I can show you, if you are willing. Young?” The child turned away, but not out of fear. “My real name is Session...but I don’t really like that name…” “So you call yourself something else?” The stranger stated. “There no shame is such a practice. Many change their name for far more shameful reasons.” “I haven’t changed it yet.” The child got up. “Could help with that too?” “I believe so, young one.” The stranger offered out his hand and lead him to out of the alley “What were you thinking of making it.” “I was thinking of just shorting it sort of. Session stated. “To Zen.” And so Zen was lead to the place that would raise him in place of his parents. The place that would raise him to do what he was about to so many years into the future…. -------- Present -------- “Zen?.... Zen, what are you doing?!” Wish questioned now more confused than ever. “I can’t let you get to that tower, Wish.” Zen stated now pointing a gun at her having crashed the car after serving like a mad man. “We lose too much… I’m sorry.” “What? What would we lose?” Wish asked. “At least make some sense before you do this.” “Fine.” Zen stated. Davy adjusted his glasses and got out of his chair. “Where in my memory banks does the time go?” Wish chuckled as they hugged.
“You never change though I see.” Wish stated after getting hair ruffled, and watching Zen and Davy do their special handshake. “All I need is my locker.” Davy joked. “Then I’d be living just the ghost I’m named after.” “Ain’t Father Triben’s stuff in one?” Zen questioned. “Everything pointed to…” Zen went quiet. He could tell even through Davy’s sunglasses that he crossed some sort of line. “We need it, Davy.” Wish stated more confidently. “Part of it at least. The part about a ‘lost star’ more specifically.” “I know which part you need.” Davy motioned them into the somewhat small, yet messy house. The once proud looking banner now as dusty as the rest of the house, and symbol seemed to functioning as a dart board these days. Davy didn’t mention it as he handed Wish the journal Wish combed through the pages until she found one with a folded corner. Zen waited patiently for a couple of minutes, while Wish read through some pages. Slower than usual. Her face betraying a look of sadness, and shock. Finally the open book just dropped to the ground with a thud. Davy pick it up. “I’ll save it for a while, but if you don’t want me to burn it later I’ll need to know.” “Th...Those readings can’t be right…” Wish stated clearly in shock. “I’ve been connecting for over 20 years!” “No one understood what you did that Wish.” Davy stated sympathetically. “But apparently it didn’t sit well with a lot of them. All I know is Ruribind occasional appearances make a lot of sense now.” Zen stared at Wish. “I… I shouldn’t be connecting.” She began. “My whole system is running counter to any possible connections to the Augment.” She pound on the table. “Something Ruribind was more than happy to make his guinea pig.” “The notes mentioned something about the tree you use to like.” Davy stated. “A lot of us, cybers have moved on or abandon the church since in plugged to that fancy tower in the upper crust.” “How they’d even afford that?” Zen questioned. “I thought they only took the virtual stuff?” “They use to.” Davy stated throwing an already pack bag over his shoulder. “You two coming with then?” Yet again left with more questions than answers, it’s to hard an offer to refuse. So They followed Davy to an all too familiar building. Wish stood by Davy’s side and looked a bit teary eyed. There was nothing but silence as both looked over of the once beautiful and powerful looking building. A place both once called home now overgrown and decrypted without so much as a care. There was a unified sigh, and both walked forward. Wish plugged her mind into an old, clearly outdated, cyber-lock. Not even bothering to enter a code, and going straight for the override. Davy kicking the doors free the moment Wish took the lock. Zen just smoke some scrapyard. Orphans like those two rarely said anything about it, but you could always tell. It was something in how they moved. How they work together without so much as a second thought on a plan they never spoke of. Cities like the one Zen grow up worked the same way. An underbelly hosting a valley of open secrets, and small group of people who know exactly how they worked when no one else did. In any case, Zen wasn’t without a past he didn’t care to talk about. It became the unspoken rule of their partnership, and one both seemed to find beneficial. So the pasted stay behind them, where they wanted it. And Zen put what he left of the scrapyard he had on him away before walking up the stairs. He didn’t know much about this tree, but it shouldn’t have taken this long. “Wish?!” Zen ran up to Davy. “She just sort of...collapsed…” Davy stated. “Went in crazy deep, so it’d be dangerous to wake her. “Quite the predicament.” Both turned after hearing a familiar voice. “Too dangerous to move to her, and yet too dangerous for her to stay here.” Doctor Ruribind stated. “May I run some test perhaps?” “You-you.” Zen paused before raising his gun. “Who are you?!” “Always a drama session with you.” Ruribind stated back. “Though I suppose the fool here is the man who thought he could leave his own body without any consequences.” “You’re body isn’t in… proper condition.” Zen stated. “So how are you….?” “Ah.” Ruribind stated. “Forgive an old man and his work, would you? Truefully I forgot about...certain side effects.” He approached Wish. “So much violence for something so simple…” “You gonna explain yourself?” Davy stated. “These two seemed pretty sure you-” A large trampling came from behind them. “I'm afraid we haven’t the time.” Doctor Ruribind stated. “But I will be glad to answer what I can, once everyone is safe.” not seeing many other options Davy and Zen followed the Ruribind’s instructions to safety. “Quite the connection you’ve got here…” Roff stated seemingly a little surprised.
“Isn’t it just a little high or something?” Wish stated. “A couple of the tests said I might have trouble making an avatar, but I’ve never noticed anything.” Roff looked up to listen, and then back down at the number. “Interesting…” He stated quietly before hit a few buttons. “Well, I guess we gonna find out. Qual-Link. Online.” “Connections. Stable” Wish stated. As the blinding white light loaded her in. “That was…. Rather strange.” Wish wobbled a bit. For the first time she felt a little light headed after loading up. She steady herself using a nearby table, and looked around. It didn’t look that different from other augment spots, at least the ones back from a few years ago. The virtual currency banned was huge cut in funding for places like this, and a lot of them fell into disrepair as a result. “Didn’t think I’d see one like this again.” Wish stated. “It’s not your first time?” A girl sitting at the table Wish was leaning on asked. “I guess it’s been longer than I thought.” Wish stated as she sat down. “I used to go more often, but the only ones that are worth anything more are so regular now.” “Ah, you’re not from around here.” A man sitting across from her stated. “That tattoo of yours could fooled me.” “”Honestly it’s not accurate anymore.” Wish stated. “You know with how they’ve been doing things. And they weren’t exactly happy with my career choice, of course neither were most of my colleagues.” “Can’t imagine they’d be happy your here then.” The girl commented “Speaking of what brings me here. You two hear anything about a Bort Ruribind?” Wish questioned. “Heard a lot of things.” The man stated. “Few of them I believe.” “Something happen to him?” The girl next to Wish asked in return. “I’ve never fully understood when he talks, but it sounded like something big this time.” “Could change everything, if he’s right.” The man stated. “Bound to attraction way too much attention one way or another.” “You sound so sure he’s alive.” Wish stated. “Far as I know he’s up and vanish.” “Find the panda.” Both stated in unison. “He’s been repeating that for a while , but it hammered it in a few days ago.” the man finished “Well, alright.” Wish stated. “Doesn’t sound like I’d get much else out of anyone. I know you both saw the badge number, so thanks for the tip.” With that Wish left the augment. --------- Back at the bar --------- “Miss me?” Wish stated sarcastically as she walked out one of the pods hidden away in the backroom. “How was the session?” “Well, people around are convinced of three things.” Zen stated. "Ruribind wasn’t killed. Somehow, someway, sent his mind off somewhere, and it’s alive and well. And in the event of any surprises we’re supposed to ‘find the panda’. ” “Got about the same.” Wish stated. “And somehow I doubt we’re supposed to search through millions of line of code, countless buildings, and highly advanced laboratories for a panda.” “Well, that thing.” Zen stated. “I think we got the panda, so I was kind of hoping Roffguard mention something to you.” “Why would he-.... Me?” Wish questioned as she pointed at herself. “Well all he mentioned is my connections interesting. Not unusual. It’s been ‘special’ ever since I was little.” “And you don’t know why? Never wanted to know?” Zen asked. The rather long silence. For a moment Zen questioned if he should even ask again, but, like it or not, this seemed like their only way in. “Wish?” “If I ever wanted to know it was in Father Triben’s journal.” Wish stated. “So I always assumed it was something from over 22 years ago.” Zen signed. “You want everything over again? See if we missed a sign or two?” “Naw.” Wish stated rather casually. “I’d like to think a 5 year old me would be proud, but, honestly, i’ve been less proud which each passing day. I think it’s time the past caught up with me.” “Well, whatever it’s worth.” Zen replied. “I’m proud of you doing this.” The bartender’s emotions were reflected more by how he polished the glass than the were by his face. What was once an intensely focused polishing slowly dwindled into a task long forgotten. He glanced around the room before pointing. “Roff. He’s the best of the offlines right now.”
“Thank you.” Wish stated as Zen tipped him. “Miss.” Wish and Zen stopped and turned around. “They really let you keep that?” The bartender gestured at to the tattoo across Wish’s left shoulder. “Believe it or not. Zen, here, was the only one.” Wish stated. “It probably the one thing I don’t understand ‘bout him.” “I really rather tired of explaining it.” Zen stated. “Just because-” the bartender raised a hand to stop him. “I like the Break-Bonds.” He stated polishing his glass again. “I’ll save a couple of rooms.” Zen looked over the menu “A slog cog. Keep the change.” Zen stated. “My policy.” The bartender nodded, and Zen bought the drink over as Wish started the questioning. “This is your friend?” The male looked about Wish’s age, and rather calm give what he must have been told. “Mister Roffguard a man may have just sent his mind into the Augment.” Wish recapped. “You’re calmness is….” “Alarming? Well first I don’t think there’s a ‘may’ about it. ” ‘Roff’ stated. “Now how the good doctor figured that out is beyond me, but Bort Ruribind… well, he’s somewhere.” “There may be some clues within the walls” Wish asked. “Could you take me?” “The walls” Roff stated. “Man I haven’t been in the walls in years…” “Years?” Zen restated. “You were kicked out?” Roff looked confused. “What? No I left like 2 days ago. You wanna go, right now?” “You need to… do that thing you do?” Wish sighed but nodded. “Why don’t you go then? Seems like I can handle the bar.” Roffguard left with Wish for the walls, and Zen, did what he did best, joined a game of poker. “Typical crowd?” “No such thing ‘round here.” one player answered back. “People stay a few days at most…. Fold.” Zen threw in some chips. “Raise… Make sense in place like this people probably don’t stay long. Researchers maybe. Doctors and the like.” “The doctors don’t played.” Another player stated. “Only fold.” As she and Zen tossed some money in. “Call.” Zen stated before placing down four of a kind before collecting what little winnings he was due. “Good information deserves a good game at least.” He looked over his hand. “Fold.” “Raise.” The first player stated. “Who you look for?” “Ruribind.” Zen stated watching the others play through the round. “He...Disappeared.” “Raise.” The female of the group stated as the others threw their money in. “He always said to ‘find the panda if that happened.’” “Raise.” Zen stated. “He came often?” Shifting a few cards around as others threw their money in. “Call.” The third player stated before throwing down four kings. A good hand, but not as good as the straight flush Zen had.”I agree with Roff. Ruribind is alive.” “Your sure?” Zen stated before looking over his hand again. “Raise” “Too careful.” the first player stated throwing his money in. “He live. Just need panda… whenever panda be… Call.” “Right then.” Zen stated as he was shuffled another hand. “Let’s hear about this panda.” Wish rolled her eyes as Zen’s driving started to slow. Scouting the area the moment they so much as entered. “It’s the largest firewire pit in the world, Zen, Hardly an underground drug den.”
“It’s the ruins of once a great city filled to the brim with idealists and dreamers who would rather break down society than deal with a little hardship.” Zen scoffed. “It’s the remnants of a shelter that was once taken care of, and housed some of our most creative and flexible minds. An incredibly prosperous city that had it’s very way of life uprooted in a day.” Wish recalled. “No warning, no preparation, nothing on the news, a whole economic system just… gone.” “Those laws were…. Well anyways, we’re here.” In truth Zen thought better of responding, especially considering the kind of info they were going to need. “You...you alright?” “I..guess yeah… let me just… get it together...” Wish stated. ------------- 12 hours earlier ------------- The Dr. Bort Ruribind’s murder scene looked more like a still painting to Zen, but that just made him all the more curious what Wish was seeing. For the time being Zen could only recall the stories his dad told him, and watch Wish replay the virtual horrors. Impatiently waiting to hear the details he counted the cycles. Flinching in surprised he rushed to Wish. Much as he hated her attitude at times, he felt a little relieved when she chose to reply “I skipped the last one, dad, I know.” “You’re dad is probably the one who taught how to be a smartass.” Zen fired back. “What did do…. Was he actually?” “He….” Wish paused. “The government locks are tough, but not impossible. Ruribind’s was unbreakable…. So why?” Wish tried to recall, but she was still out of it. “Wish…” Zen processed what little intel he had gathered. “What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense.” “What i’m saying .” Wish responded leaning on to Zen a bit as they stood up. “Is that one of, if not, the smartest mind of century disable his own self made brain-lock. And whether his assailant know that or not, they definitely had access to some highly protected files.” “So he is dead?” Zen questioned and Wish shook her head. “You realized that was one of the things we came here to-” “Yes!” Wish yelled for the first time in years in all the years she had been Zen partner.” Yes, I do. But I cycled that scene 3 times and…. It was all so… he was ripped apart, Zen, limb from limb. Then they ransacked his body like… like it was just some filing cabinet. But there wasn’t as brain? Somehow? And I don't know where it went and-” “Easy, easy.” Zen cut Wish off. “It was just Augment, Wish. You’re back with us now.” “I was born in Augment.” Wish stated. “Raised to know Augment. Inside and out. That wasn’t just Augment. Doctor Ruribind’s MIND. memories, knowledge, his entire personality. Is separate from his body! That’s not” Wish took a deep breath. “Shouldn’t be possible.” “It does explain the awkward silences and unusual isolation though.” Zen sighed. “So 2 mysteries solved.” “Only about 12 more to go.” Both, Zen and Wish, finished and chuckled. “Just another day in the C.R.D.” Wish sarcastically cheered. “Never a dull moment with us, huh?” “I gotta admit.” Zen stated. “It’s got all the interesting case, alright.” |